If sunshine on your shoulders -- and the rest of your body as well -- is what makes you happy, you'll find only a few beaches in Texas where you can let it all hang out. There is only one completely legal place to skinny-dip in the state, but, historically, nudist beaches tend to turn a blind eye as long as there is no lewd behavior involved.

Join the Happy Hippies

Hippie Hollow is Texas' only official all-adult clothing-optional park. Situated on the eastern end of Lake Travis, the beach area has large slabs of rock where you can soak up the sun's rays. Mature trees offer shade, and step-like layers of rock make it easy to get down to the water and cool off. The park has a day-use fee and provides restrooms, garbage disposal and drinking water next to the lake. Nudity is not permitted in the parking lot, so keep your clothes on until you reach the lake.

Out of This World

On South Padre Island, Nude Beach also became known as UFO Beach after a spaceship-like emergency evacuation pod washed onto the shore. The pod has "Nude Beach" and "No Tan Lines" decorating it in large letters. UFO Beach ranks 10th on the Traveler's Digest Ten Best Nude Beaches list. The beach is especially popular with the college crowd during spring break. You'll find it 10 to 12 miles north of Beach Access No. 6.

Away From It All

While nudity is not officially permitted in Padre Island National Seashore, there are plenty of remote areas along the park's 60 miles of beach. Head south, leaving the paved road far behind to ensure your naturist sunbathing does not offend other sunbathers. Select a site that lets you see anyone who approaches well in advance so you can slip on a coverup. This approach eliminates any possibility of getting ticketed for disturbing the peace. The national seashore is under federal jurisdiction, which is traditionally more tolerant of nude sunbathers in remote areas.

Put the Top Down

Like New York, Maine, Hawaii and Ohio, Texas allows women to go topless anywhere a man can. This means any beach in the state is fair game for sunning wearing just bikini bottoms. Once you slip out of the bottoms, you risk getting ticketed for disorderly conduct if there's anyone around to see you who takes offense. At McFaddin Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula, many choose to go topless and others opt for complete nudity. The beach is accessible only via rugged four-wheel drive road washed out by Hurricane Jerry in 1990. Sharp shells jut out of the sand, so be sure to wear beach shoes even if you're wearing little else.